Prayers' Prevalency

_2 CHRON. 32:24, 25._And in those dayes Hezekias was sick to the death; and he prayed to the Lord who spoke to him, and gave him a sign, but Hezekias did not render according to the mercies bestowed upon him, but his heart was lifted up, and wrath came upon Israel.

WE made some entrance into these words in the morning; In those dayes Hezekiah was sick to the death. Those words we have done withall. And he prayed to the Lord: hence we observed this: That Prayer is the chief means to obtain any thing at Gods hands.

It was the means whereby Hezekiah obtained his recovery when he was sick to the death. So it is a general rule that prayer is the chiefest means of all other to obtain any thing at Gods hands. The reasons of it we gave in the morning, we came to apply it. And the first Use was this. If it be the chiefest means of all other, therefore we should learn to esteem of our prayers more then we do, to set them at a higher rate, to know what the efficacy of prayer is. When prayers are performed in a customary negligent manner; when men think it may be they will be answered, and it may be they will not, it may be they will do them good, it may be not, no marvel if they misse of the effect. If men did believe that prayer were so effectual to bring their enterprizes to passe, they would surely be more frequent and fervent in this duty. We shewed you in the morning what the efficacy of prayer was, we purpose to repeat nothing.

Only there is an objection or two, that we will answer, and so passe from this point.

First, This may be objected, how can prayer be so effectual a means to obtain any thing at Gods hands, when the Lord is purposed to do what he will do, and how can the intreaty of a weak man change the purpose of God, or altar his mind? he knows what we have need of before-hand, before we ask, and God is subject to no alteration?

To this I answer, It is true, when we seek to the Lord by prayer, he is not changed by any of our petitions that we make to him; but the change is wrought upon us; because we are made more fit to receive mercy from him then before we were. As for example, When a patient desires his Physician, to give him a cordial, to give him some restoring physick, something that is pleasant to him; The Physician delayes, and defers, he will not for the present hearken to his request, at length he does it. Why is it? not because the Physician is altered, but because there is an alteration in the patient; he is now purged, and vomitted; his body is cleansed, and so made fit to receive the cordial, therefore the Physician yields to his request: there is some suitablenesse now between him, and the physick which he requires: there is no alteration in the Physician, but in the patient. So when we seek any thing at Gods hands we do not cause him to alter his mind, but there is a change wrought in us: so that when we think we bring God to us by our prayers, we rather bring our selves to God. That is, when we contend with God in prayer, and use arguments to perswade him, those arguments perswade our selves to repentance, to faith, to more obedience and willingnesse to serve him, and so our hearts are drawn more near to him; when we think we draw God near to us, in this action we draw our selves near to him, and when our hearts are drawn near to him, when our faith is strengthened by the arguments that we use, then the Lord is moved to do that which before he was not moved to do. Not because he is altered, or any way changed, but because the change is in us, we are more fit to receive the mercy that we beg for then before.

Again Secondly, it may be objected, many obtain mercies, and blessings at Gods hands without prayer, therefore it seemes that prayer is not so great a means to obtain mercies; because they are ours sometimes without prayer.

I answer it is true, men may have, and have usually many great mercies bestowed upon them without prayer, but there is a great deal of difference: because that mercy which is obtained by prayer, it comes with a blessing and it comes by vertue of the promise that the Lord has made. And it is one thing to receive the same mercy in a way of blessing, and another thing to receive it i[•…]n ordinary course. The same comfort may come to one man with a blessing, and may be conveyed to another man with a curse. There is a two-fold way of Gods bestowing of mercies. One is when he conveyes them to a man by vertue of a promise. Another is when he bestowes them by a common providence. When God dispenseth mercies by a common providence, you must not think your self to be such a gainer in the receiving of such a mercy when you have not sought the Lord for it: it may be you have more cause to judge your self better in the want of that mercy. Ahab had been better to have wanted a vineyard. Ieroboam had better to have wanted the Kingdom. Gehazi had better to have wanted Naamans courtefie; there goes a curse with those things that we have in that manner, when we have them without prayer, or when we have them by a common providence, when we receive them in the neglect of this duty; and yet in the mean time we may have as much as others. And though this be that which men are ready to object, yet this is the way to forfeit all that they have.

As you know when men will be ready to take in their goods at the Custom-house, and to steal the Custom, ofttimes it is the way to lose all the whole fraight, and to for feit their whole venture. So it is here, when we use the means that God has appointed, and walk in his way, and observe his ordinances, then we shall have mercies at Gods hands. And when God bestowes them not in mercy as a blessing (for so he does not except you seek to him;) you must needs conclude, that you not only have them as a curse, but in having them out of his way, you forfeit all the rest. Therefore I say prayer indeed is the means to obtain any thing at Gods hands. Hezekiah prayed, and he was delivered.

But here, one causion is to be added, and that is, that it is not every kind of prayer, it must be such a prayer as the Lord looks for at ur hands: it must be a prayer so qualified as he has appointed; for though it be true that prayer be the key that opens the door into the Lords treasury, and when we go about to open this lock, we must have this key, otherwise we go in a wrong way, yet faith is the hand that must turn this key. There are certain conditions required in prayer. Every customary formal, ordinary prayer will not prevail with God. No; [〈◊〉] Saint Paul says, I serve him night and day, but I serve him in the spirit, you must pray in the spirit; that is, when you pray to the Lord you must pour forth your spirits to him in your petitions: your suites that you make to him must not be such only as your understandings dictate to you; but the will and affections, the intentions of your souls must go together in the performance of the duty, otherwise it is but an hypocritical performance of the duty. For this is hypocrisie, when a man is neither willing to omit the duty altogether nor careful to do it in that manner that he ought. Therefore, you must know that you may make a prayer that is but the expression of your [〈◊〉] and will he think you receive such a prayer as th[•…] No, your prayers must be an expression of those holy esir, that arise from the regenerate part, it must be the voice of the spirit in you: that is, the voice of the regenerate part stirred up, and acted by the Holy Ghost. When your prayers are such prayers (though it be true [〈◊〉] flesh is mingled with them) they will prevail: for hat is still required.

Therefore I say every prayer will not prevail, it must be such a kind of prayer as God appoints. Now why has God appointed prayer? It is that our hearts may be quickened and drawn near to the Lord, that our hearts may be put into a fitter frame of prayer. And therefore when you shalt pray, and your heart▪ never a whit the warmer, never a whit the nearer drawn to God by it, the business is not done. For the same rule is true in this as in other things; a business we say is not done, when the end is not obtained, when the enterprize is not brought to pass. So I say, you have not prayed, say what you will, express what you will except your hearts are made warmer by it, and drawn nearer to God by it, and brought to a better frame by it. When you edifie your selves, this is the prayer God accepts.

Therefore we must take heed of that common errour, that because we hear that prayer will prevail; therefore we use some certain formalities, and make some petitions, and so we do make account to prevail with God; this is the common errour of people: we are deceived in this, it is not every kind of prayer that will do it. An ordinary prayer would not have recovered Hezekiah, and restored him to health. It was the fault of Gehazi when he had got the staff, he thought to recover the child: but he wanted Elisha's spirit. A man may make a prayer to God, but when he wants the spirit of prayer, he cannot expect an answer: for the promise is not made to such: Therefore when we deliver this point to you, that prayer is an effectual means to prevail with God for any thing, you must understand that those conditions must accompany it that the Lord requires. And so much for this point, he prayed to the Lord,Who spoke to him.

We must be very brief in this, because we hasten to the next verse. Two things we may observe out of these words. First, That

We ought to observe what answer the Lord gives to our prayers.

You see the Holy Ghost notes it here, he prayed to the Lord, and the Lord gave him a good answer, he told him that the thing he desired should be done; I say we should learn when we seek to the Lord, to consider what answer we have from him. Otherwise we do as children that shoot arrows, and consider not where they light. When we send our prayers, and consider not what answer they have; it is an argument that we do it not in faith, we do it not diligently, but in a negligent manner. When a Fowler layeth baits and snares to catch birds, if he believe them to be effectual, he will be still looking to them, to see whether any thing be taken or no, to see what successe he has. When we come to call upon the Lord, we should consider whether our prayers prevail, what success they have. You see Elias when he prayed to the Lord, he sent his servant to see what answer the Lord had given; and he sent him seven times to see whether any cloud appeared: he was very dilegent to consider, whether the Lord gave him any answer to his prayers. Whenever therefore we call upon the Lord, we should observe that.

For indeed in this our walking with God does consist: when we converse with the Lord from day to day as we ought; It stands not in this only, that we open our minds to him, and make our requests known to him; but that we should consider what the Lord does to us back again. If the Lord grant our requests, we ought to take notice of it, that we may praise him, and give him thanks. If he do not answer them, that we may consider what the cause is. Many causes it may be there are why the Lord does not hear. It may be you doest not pray aright. It may be you retainest the love of some particular sin in you. It may be God does it for the tryal of you. It is good for you to observe. When any thing falls upon men amisse, and contrary to their expectation, or to their prayers, they are ready to attribute it to other causes: it is good rather to say that you have prayed amisse, and that is the cause of it. When a man is distempered in his health, either he will say that he has not taken physick, or else it was not physick fit for him; it is still forgotten whether he has prayed to God, or whether he has prayed amisse. In James 4. there the cause is given, you have either not prayed, or prayed amisse, you ask and receive not, because you ask amisse; therefore you do not obtain. It may be I say that that may be the cause why your prayers are not heard, that you prayest amisse.

Therefore you should do in this case, as a fisher-man does that has cast a bait, and has waited long, and nothing taken; he takes up the angle, and sees whether or no the bait be well placed, and whether things be in the right order or no. When we see we do not obtain any thing at Gods hands by our prayers, that we have sought the Lord, and got no answer; let us look well to our prayers, and see whether there be not something amisse there.

Besides, it may be when you prayest, you are mistaken in the thing you askest; it may be the thing you desirest is not good for you: for there are many cases wherein we seek to the Lord, wherein we are perswaded that if we had it, it would be good for us; but if it were granted it may be it would be our undoing. The Lord denies many things to a man in mercy, as he grants many things to men in judgement. It may be your great advantage that though you pray, and pray earnestly, yet your requests are denied.

Again, it may be the Lord has done the thing, but in another manner then you expectest: many times the same thing is done, though not in the same fashion. A man desires money and riches, it may be the Lord denies him that, and gives him meat, and drink, and cloathing. A man desires his enemies may be at peace with him, God denies him this it may be, but he gives him a helmet to bear it off; and so for other things. I say it is to be considered that the Lord may do the same thing in another manner, though it be not in the same kind that we expect.

Besides, God may do it by another means then we look for. Commonly we pitch upon some means, which we think, if it fail, all is gone, but the Lord may go another way to work. I will instance no more in these things; for this is not the thing that I must stand upon. Only I say that when we make our prayers to God, we must consider what answer we have of them. And this we should do upon this occasion of Thanksgiving , when we have sought to the Lord in prayer, and fasting, as we have done, we are now to consider what answer the Lord has given: he has removed the judgement: we must set it down among the memorandums of his mercy, that he has heard our prayers and healed our land. But I say, I must not stand upon this.

The second thing that is to be observed is this. And the Lord spoke to him. Observe, that

When we pray to the Lord, he is exceeding ready to hear.

As we see he was ready hear to hear Hezekiah. And so David, and Asa, and Iehoshaphat, so he will do to us to the end of the world, when men seek to him. Only, this must be considered, that the Lord has an ear open to our prayer: but if it be no prayer, if it be but a liplabour, if it want the conditions of prayer, the Lord rejects it. And this is not because he hearkens not to it, but because it is no prayer. Therefore make account when you goest about to pray, that God does encline his ear to hear, that is, he does not only hear the prayers of his servants but also of those that are carnal men, of those that are strangers, and that are without the covenant as yet. As you shall see, 2 Chron. 12. It is said that Rehoboam, and the Princes humbled themselves, and sought toto the Lord, and Rehoboam was not upright hearted: yet because he and the Princes did humble themselves, the Lord did not destroy them but sent them deliverance. So did he to Ahab, he heard him. And so it may be the Lord has done with us in removing this judgement, though it may be our prayers, and our humiliation, and fasting have been but overly, and perfunctory: yet it may be the Lord has heard us: for he is ready to hear prayers. Although mens hearts be not humbled aright in their prayers, yet when men are humbled in any manner before him to shew that he is ready to hear prayers, he hears them.

And this is a thing that should wound our hearts, and break them more then any thing in the world to make us see that the Lord is patient, and long suffering: that though the humiliation of men he not sound, and according to what he expects, yet he is ready to remove the judgement.

And this use we should further make of it, that if the Lord hear when humiliation is not found, what wil he do when our prayers are servent and sound, when our humiliation is perfect? This is a thing that we ought to take notice of that when the Lord is so ready to hear, we should be encouraged to pray, and to seek to him. For when the Lord shall do as he has done with us, when he shall stay the plague; when he shall say to it, as he does to the raging sea, thus far you shalt go, and no further, when we look upon this, and observe this dealing of the Lord, we should have a store house of such experiments as these, that we may learn thereby to know the Lord, and to trust him; that we may be encouraged thereby to seek to him: For when such actions as these are slighted, we take his name in vain, and the Lord will not hold us guiltless if we take his Name in vain: no more will he if we pass by these actions of his without taking notice. Therefore it is well that such a day as this is set apart, that we may remember it, and consider what answer the Lord gives our prayers, and acknowledge it: but I will not stand to enlarge this.

The next words are, And he gave him a sign.

You know there is a double ground of asking a sign; One is when a man asks a sign, to tempt the Lord. As the Iewes asked a sign, not out of a desire to profit by it, but because they would see what the Lord would do: and this Christ denyed them, this is a sinful asking of a sign. There is another asking of a sign, when it is to confirm our faith, when the intention is good, and the heart is upright. Thus Hezekiah asked a sign, and the Lord gave him a sign; hence observe, that

The Lord tenders a weak faith.

He will not quench the smoaking flax, nor break the bruised reed: but he is ready to supply it, when it is but as a grain of mustard-seed. When Hezekiah had not faith enough to believe what the Prophet had told him from the mouth of the Lord, the Lord added a sign. But I come to the next words.

And Hezekiah did not render according to the mercies the Lord bestowed upon him.

From where this is the observation I will deliver to you, that

When the Lord bestowes a mercy, he looks for praise and thankfulness, and that it should bear a proportion to the blessing received.

For so the words are brought in, Hezekiah prayed and the Lord answered him, and gave him the thing he desired: but Hezekiah rendered not to the Lord according to the Mercies bestowed upon him, implying that the Lord looked for something at his hands, he expected that he should be thankful: Hezekiah was ready to glorifie himself, when the Amhassadors came from the King of Babylon, and he did not render according to the mercies received. This the Lord observed, and it is set down, noting that when the Lord bestowes a mercy, he looks that we should be thankful, and that our thankfulness should be according to the mercies. This is a point that needs no proof, that the Lord looketh for thankfulness. Only I will shew you why this is a thing that the Lord makes so great account of.

You must consider, that this duty of thankfulness of all other that we can offer to the Lord, it is the most free, it is the greatest testimony of sincerity and ingenuity in us, for when we pray to the Lord it may proceed out of self love: but when we are thankful, that comes out of love to the Lord: prayer may tend to our own profit, but thankfulness tends to Gods Glory: therefore we should be the more abundant in this duty: because the nature of this duty is such as is more commendable, it is more free, it is a testimony of more sincerity and ingenuity in us. Besides it is a duty that stirs us up more to think well of the Lord and to speak well of him; for when we come to give thanks for mercies, it pitcheth our thoughts upon his goodness, and upon the great works he has done for us; and this causeth us to think better of the Lord, and makes us the more willing to obey him, and therefore it is an acceptable duty.

Again it is a commendable thing, Psalms 33:1. Rejoyce you righteous: for it is a comely thing to praise the Lord. That is, it is a duty of that nature, that it is not only comly at some times; as things are comely commonly with reference: for nothing in it self is comely but in reference to such and such things: but now thankfulness is of that nature that it is alway beautiful, and comely at all times; because it i simply so, and therefore it continues for ever. You know it is the commendation of love, that it shall continue when prophesie, and faith, and other graces shall faile: so it is the commendation of thankfulness that even in heaven it is comely; for there we shall praise the Lord for ever.

But now you must know that the Lord does not only look for thankfulness, but that we should render according to the mercies we have received: so that in our thankfulness there must be these four conditions.

First, you must consider that when you come to give thanks for any mercy to the Lord; it is not such a freewill offering, as that you may chuse whether you will do it or no: but you must know that you are bound to it: therefore this word yielding here, it shewes that it was such a debt as Hezekiah did owe to the Lord. When you are to give thanks therefore, you must not go about this duty as if you might do it, or not do it, and it is no great matter: but that it is such a thing as the Lord requires. For when the Lord bestowes any mercy upon us, he keeps this property still in his own hands to have thanks rendred to him. Sutable praise, and thanksgiving is the rent and fine (as I may say) which the Lord would have us give him for all the things we enjoy. Now when we do not give him praise, we with hold that from him which is his due. As when a rent is due to a Land-lord, and is not paid him, you detain that from him which is his right. And you see in this verse that when Hezekiah did not render according to the mercies received, wrath came upon him. When wrath shall come upon a man for neglecting of a duty, it is an argument, that it is not so free as that he might neglect it if he please; but that he must do it of necessity. This is the first thing that you are to consider that the Lord requires it exactly at your hands, it is a thing that you owe to the Lord.

Secondly, you must render according to the mercies received; that is, there must be a suitableness and proportion, between your thankfulness and the mercies bestowed. Wherein two things are to be observed. One is when you have many mercies you must be much in thankfulness, when all that you have are mercies, you must alway be giving thanks. You shall see it, 1 Thes. 5. In all things give thanks: for that is the will of God towards you, that is, it is not enough to be thankful to God for some mercies, no nor for mercies in general, to say, God be thanked for all his benefits, and so to name them in the gross; but in all things give thanks; that is, for every particular thing, for every mercy received. And this is a special thing, and a thing that we are exceedingly apt to fail in, that we do not give thanks for all things. If we could come once to take notice, and to particularize the variety of mercies that we have received; they would be as so many sparks to kindle a flame of love, and to knit us to the Lord, when as it may be mercies in the general will not so much affectus. And besides when we give thanks so in the general only, we are apt to forget them: but when we give thanks in particular for things, this quickens us, and keeps us near to the Lord. Therefore you must remember this, that in your giving thanks, you are to remember every thing in particular, to render to the Lord according to the mercies bestowed.

Again, Thirdly, according to the mercies received. This is another condition, that the extent of your thankfulnesse be according to the greatnesse of the mercies; For you shall observe in the Scriptures, that when blessings are there mentioned, the Lord sets an ac[•…] upon the special benefits; when he names what he had done for his people, as his people of Israel, I brought you out of Egypt, and delivered you from Pharaoh, these, and these great mercies I wrought for you, The Lord looks for great thankfulness for great mercies. So when he speaks to David I tooke you from the Ewes with yong and gave you the Kingdome, &c. These great mercies. As you must be thankfull for all, so you must render according to the greatness of them. This mercy bestowed upon Hezekiah was a great mercy, and that he was not thankful for it accordingly, the Lord took it ill at his hands. Therefore that you may fulfil this condition, you ought to look back to the former passages of your lives, and consider what notable blessings you have received, what great deliverances. And still remember that as the mercies go beyond them which others have, so we must go beyond them in thanksgiving; for we ought to render to the Lord according to the mercies received.

Fourthly, This is also required, that it be presently done; but Hezekiah did not render according to the merciesreceived. It might have been said though Hezekiah had not yet done it, yet he might do it afterward; for the Ambassadours came to him immediately after his recovery: yet because he did not do it at that time, but deferred it, you see the Lord takes the deferring to do it for an omission of it. The Lord looked for this at his hands, that as he had received great mercies from him, so he should be careful to render thanks, and to render it presently. It is a sin against God in a special manner, although we should perform a duty, yet to put it off and not perform it in due season. Every duty we perform ought to have right circumstances: the very deferring of our thankfulnesse is that which debaseth, and lesseneth it as well as the omission of it. David when he would shew himself thankful for the mercies he had received, he would not go to bed, nor suffer his eyes to slumber, till he had found out a place for God. We should therefore take heed of delayes in this kind.

When we go about any ill action indeed it is good to delay; but in the service of the Lord the more have the better. In the service of the Devil, and sin, the more have the worst speed. To use an argument from the greater to the less. As we see in Abraham there was two great commands that he had: the one was to put away Ishmael; The other to offer Isaack: The Text notes this that in both of them, he rose early, he did not defer it: For although they were duties very contrary to his flesh, as he was a man: yet because the Lord commanded it, he did them speedily. I say, if in these duties, (which were burdensome, and hard duties,) it is noted in the text that Abraham did them speedily: what ought we to do in the duty of thankfulness?

It was the commendation of Abrahams servant that he would not eat nor drink till he had done his Masters business, and declared his message. When we have business of the Lords to do, it is a sign of diligence to do it speedily. Why is that noted in the servant of Abraham? Is it not for our learning? These four things therefore are to be observed.

Now to apply this. If this be a thing that the Lord looks for at our hands, that we render according to the mercies received: Then let every one of us, consider whether we have answered this expectation of the Lord or no? Among men there is nothing so grevious as when their expectation is crossed. When a man expects a thing from his Wife, or his Friend or his Child, and receives not according to that expectation, there can be nothing more grievous. When we answer not the Lords expectation, it causeth his wrath to be kindled.

Now you shall find that in these cases, in case of great affliction, in case of great deliverance, in case of great means; in all these cases the Lord expects great thankfulness. When the Lord sends afflictions, and we do not make use of them, when we are not drawn in by them, when we are not wrought upon by them: This is a thing that provokes him to anger. You know what is said of Ahaz, that when he was afflicted, he was worse, and worse. This is King Ahaz, he rebelled yet more and more: A brand is set upon him. The Lord looked for fruit from the fig-tree, and when he found it not, he cursed it.

When the Lord shall send such a mercy as he has now to us, to remove this visitation, be sure the Lord looks now for something more then ordinary at your hands. Consider therefore how you answer his expectation.

And if you say, every one of us has not such interest in it: Those that have been in the danger, and been in the fire, and have escaped out of it, let them look to it. No, my brethren let us know that every one of us have an interest in it: for let me ask you, When the Lord sends a sickness, and it lights but upon one place of the Kingdome, yet the Lord is at controversie with the whole Nation, he is at war with the whole land. For the end of a plague is to discover the wrath of God, and that he is displeased with the whole people. Now consider with your self when the Lord has a controversie with the Land, who is he that should answer this? there is no action of a whole body so considered that can be expected, but every particular man, must take notice of it; and if every particular man why does it not belong to you as well as to another? The Lord looks for this at the hands of every man that he should consider his dealing in sending this sickness, and visitation, and that he should consider again his mercy, in removing it to humble himself under the one, and be thankful for the other.

And this thankfulness is to be inward, and in truth. I say this belongs to every one of us. And remember, that if we answer not his expectation, wrath will return upon us, as it is said it did upon Hezekiah as the text says, I confess we have cause to fear that the Lords expectation is not answered among us, that we have not profited by this judgement as we ought. Let us remember this, that if we have not, a worse thing will befal us. For it is a usual thing with the Lord to send diverse afflictions, to take away one to try us, and to make known his patience, and if we do not amend, then lesser wedges make way for greater, as it is Levit. 26. If you return not I will send greater judgments, I will plague you seven times more. That in Ier. 34. is worthy our observation; when the Lord had sent Nebuchadnezar to beseige Jerusalem; upon the Covenant that they made with the Lord though it were feigned, the Lord drew him back, and set them at liberty: but afterward, because they did not keep their promise, and observe the Covenant that they had made, the Lord sent him the second time, and destroyed them utterly.

Do we know what the Lord will do yet further? The Lord has removed this sickness, but who knows whether he may not send a greater then this, if we do not render according to the mercies received? although the sickness be removed, yet be assured that there is wrath out, and it will seize upon us. Indeed it is possible to defer it, and to stay it, yet if we do not render to the Lord, if we do not humble our selves, we have cause to fear that there is not an end. In 2 Chron. 7:14. See what conditions the Lord requires when he will heale a land indeed, Ifmy people humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turne from their evill wayes, then I will hear in heaven, &c. Marke it. The Lord never heals a land to purpose, he never heals the wound to the bottom, but when their sins are healed and forgiven, when the disease is taken away: till men turne from their evill wayes, till, they seek the Lords face, and his presence, till men be humbled aright, till they do thus, their healing is but a skinning of the wound, it will break out again.

Therefore we must not think that all is past because the Lord has removed it for the present, he may send the sword, and a greater plague, and therefore we are to consider this, and no man is to put it off. God observes how every man is affected with these works of his: he that does not consider, but neglect it, he takes the name of God in vain. In a special manner I say the Lord observes this, how men behave themselves at such times, whether they do more for him then they were used to do. These great actions of the Lord, ought not to be passed by negligently, but he expects great answering of such great mercies.

But you will say, wherein does this rendring to the Lord according to the mercies received, consist? What is this thankfulnesse? I answer, as it is said of love, so it may be said of thankfulness, it must not be in word only, but in deed, and in truth. Not but that it must be in word, Psal. 107. It is required that we confesse the loving kindnesse of the Lord before men, we should be ready to speak of it, but that is not all, it must be indeed, and in truth. And that consists in two things.

One is that our hearts be affected with the mercies, and loving kindness of the Lord, that the heart be enlarged towards the Lord with love, and fear of his holy Name. For when a man does kindness to another, that which winneth love is to consider the bountifulness of the mans disposition. When we observe the Lords patience and longsuffering this should teach us the knowledge of the Lord, and this should make us consider what a God he is, that so his mercies may cause us to love him, and that thereby our hearts may be enlarged towards him. So David in Psal. 18. I love the Lord for he has done thus and thus, &c. This is to be thankful indeed when our hearts are affected towards God, when we think the better of the Lord: for in it Davids affections were right, that he was still speaking good of the Lord more and more, he is worthy (says he) to be praised. So when we learn to trust the Lord, he has done thus, and thus, therefore we will trust him. And when our hearts remember the Lord, when we think of him continually.

And secondly, as one part stands in this, in the affection of the heart: so likewise in our actions, then we are thankful to the Lord indeed, when we do something for him; when our thankfulness is not a thing consisting only in fancy, and notion and imagination, but when it produceth action, and when we do the works of the Lord more abundantly. When a man will set his thoughts on work to study what he may do, or what he can do for the Lord. And when he shall do this, not only for the reward to come; for that gives not a lustre to the action, but it proceeds from thankfulnesse indeed, when a man does that which he does, because the Lord has done thus and thus for him, therefore he will serve him. In this our thankfulnesse is seen when we do something really, because it is for the Lord.

Saint Paul as he abounded in thankfulnesse, so he abounded in labor. Jacob, because the Lord had heard him, he would give him the Tenth of his goods, and the Lord should be his God. So when we have received special mercies, we should do some special thing for God, some extraordinary thing, to pray more, to be more frequent and fervent, to be at more cost for the Lord upon such occasions, to be more exact in reforming our lives, and more fearful of offending God.

In a word, as the Lord enlargeth himself in mercies to us, so our hearts should be enlarged to him to do as much as may be. And thus our thankfulnesse is exprest when we have opportunity, when ever men come in place, and occasions wherein they have opportunity to do service to God; now to venture more, to be more zealous for his sake, to be more solicitous, to do something, to be more intent for the glory of God; this is to be thankful according to the mercies received: a man must set his thoughts on work to do something extraordinary, when there is an extraordinary mercy bestowed.

To help us now to do this, is to remove that which hinders it. You shall see what hindred Hezekiah, His heart was lifted up: he did not render according to the mercies received from the Lord; for his heart was lifted up. In this there are three things.

First, his heart was lifted up to other things to minde them, and it was not lift up to the Lord to think of him, and to serve him. So that there was forgetfulnesse in him; that is one thing intended, when a man shall lift up his heart to other things, to minde other things, to do other things his heart forgets the Lord. Therefore the Lord when he would have his mercies remembered, he appoints something to keep them in mind. He has appoynted the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, do this in remembrance of me. The passeover was appoynted to be taught to their Children, that when they should ask them what they did meane by such a thing? they should tell them that the Lord had delivered them out of the land of Egypt. Forgetfulness is the cause of unthankfulness: therefore to remember the mercies of the Lord is one thing that helps us to be thankful, that is, to observe the passages of his providence towards us, and about us. Therefore we must exercise faith in his providence, that is, labor to see God through every mercy. Those that want this eye of faith it is impossible for them to be thankful. If we had the eye of faith the creatures would be as a glass to help us to see God better. When Esau was kind to Jacob, he saw the face of God in Esau, I have seen your face as the face of God, says he, that is, he saw the face of God through Esaus face. It is not the creature, it is not your friend that brings you comfort. But as we say of a messenger that brings good tidings, it is not the messenger that comforts the heart, but the good tidings that he brings: this is to lift up the heart to the Lord, & the contrary is to lift up the heart to vanity.

Secondly, to lift up the heart, that is by reason of that strength, and those riches, by reason of that wealth and plenty which he had, his heart began to swell within him, he began to bear himself aloft too much upon it to think himself secure, this caused him to forget the mercies received. Indeed there is a double exaltation of the mind. One is when a man lifts up his heart, because he has the Lord to be his God: this is a holy magnanimity; this makes a man to keep on his course like a Lion; and in this we are all defective. But there is another lifting up, and height of the heart, when we think we are secure, by reason of that support that we have of the creature, and so we begin to settle upon our bottom, to rest on the creature, this was Hezekiahs fault. You shall see the same phrase used, 2 Chron. 26:16. It is said there of Vzziah, that the Lord helped him till he was mighty; but when he was strong his heart was lifted up, he thought himself secure now: he thought he could do well without God, and so his heart was lifted up. So Rehoboam when the Kingdom was strengthened in his hand, he forsook the Law of the Lord, that was the lifting up of his heart.

The last is, when the heart is lift up with a carnal rejoycing. You shall see this in the text in Hezekiah, when the Ambassadours came to him he was glad of them, there was a false joy. Outward blessings, the more they have of our love the less God has of our thankfulness. Indeed there is a spiritual joy, and the more of that the more thankfulness: but in Hezekiah it was a carnal joy, a secure rejoycing in the outward things that God had bestowed upon him, and that made him to forget his thankfulness. There is a joy that the Lord calls for in his people, Deuteronomy 26:11, 12. he requires this, that they should rejoyce in any case; because they should be thankful, therefore they are put together often in the Psalm, as Psal. 33. and Psal. 107. rejoyce in the Lord and be thankful: but when the joy is carnal; when we rejoyce immediately in the very creature, this is that which hinders our thankfulness.